Indicating means for roll-films.



H. M. ENGLE. INDIGATING MEANS FOR ROLL FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912. I

Patented June 10, 1913.

R, 8 m w u mm M W/ 0 y m8 m HORACE M. ENGLE, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

INDIGATING MEANS FOR ROLL-FILMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jane 10, It 9113.

Application filed September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,603.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that l. cairn M. ENGLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented anew and improved Indicating Means for Roll- Films, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to photography and more particularly to flexible roll films such as are used in kodaks and similar photographic cameras.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved indicating means for roll films arranged to enable the user of the camera containing the roll film to observe the unwinding of the film without unduly straining the eyes, or constantly or intently looking at the camera window to prevent over-winding or under-winding of the film, and to allow of quickly winding the film thus avoiding delay in making the successive exposures.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of film-section or position marks arranged on the back of the protective ribbon carrying the sensitive films, the said film-section or position marks beingspaced apart according to the size of the camera, and connecting marks intermediate adjacent film section or position marks and appearing like the latter at the camera window when the roll him is unwound.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a roll film with part of the protective ribbon broken out to show the sensitive film; Fig. 2 is a rear end view of a portion of a camera containing the roll film and shbwing the observation window and the indicating means; Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of the same; and Figs. -t-', (3, 7 and 8 are plan views of the roll film provided with modified forms of the indicating means.

T he roll film now generally used is put up in the form of a so-called cartridge which consists ofa sensitized film and a nonactinic covering ribbon'which are together 'tightl y wound on a roll and secured thereon by a gummed band, the whole having a temporary wrapping of paper or tinfoil and a paper carton. In use, the present form of such cartridge is placed in the camera and unwound for a certain distance, whereby the extended end of the protective wrapping ribbon is removed, exposing within the camera, the sensitive film. In order that the user may know when the film is in proper position, there is usually a small mark or index, such as the representationof a hand, printed on the back of the protective covering ribbon a. few inches in advance of the position forimaking the first exposure, and thereafter, the numbers 1, 2, 3,4, etc. fellow consecutively and indicate the position of the film for taking the succeeding exposures, all of such marks and numbers being visible successively as they pass beneath a small window in the side or back of the camera, such window being made of colored celluloid or similar other material which is sutiiciently transparent to enable such marks tobe seen by the operator, but which is opaque to actinic light.-

VVhile the above described method of marking the ribbon and of viewing the marks through such window enables the user of the camera to determine the proper position of the film correctly, the manner of marking is crude and imperfect, and in use is unsatisfactory in several particulars, viz :\Vhen a fresh roll of films has been placed in the camera, a good many turns of the winding key must be made before unwinding the covering ribbon sufficiently to bring the first section of film into proper position for exposure, and unless the user is careful, and unless he keepshis eye constantly fixed on the window of the camera and winds off the film slowly and especially if the light is dim, or too bright, causing a glare, he is in constant danger of inadvertently winding the film too far, causing loss of a section, or overlappin of images which causes a double loss, an the undue care thus required is duplicated at each succeeding movement of the film, constituting a distinct disadvantage. Itis true that by winding off the exposed film quite slowly and by constantly watchingthe window .for the small marks on the back of the covering ribbon the danger of loss of film can be avoided in most cases, but it often happens that the user of t e camera needs to wind off the exposed section and get a new section into position for exposure, in minimum time, or lose a good View. Again, if the user chances to look away from the camera window while winding, he may wind off fresh film a trifle beyond no proper position and as soon as the indicating'mark or number passes beyond thewindow, the user has no way of {telling whether the desired position has been {reached or passed, thus causing loss of film in either case. It is not expedient to depend tin counting the number of turns of the winding key because the uumber of turns varies from first to last, and as cartridges having films of different length are used in 'servation of the camera window.

the same camera and as the user may forget "which length is in the camera, he may wind off-film and take exposures as for a short length, then rapidly wind further in order to remove the cartridge, whereas it may have a number of lengthso'f unexposed film which are thus easily lost before the mistakeis noticed. All of the above-mentioned loss, uncertainty and disadvantage and. the need for slow winding and constant observation of the camera window are avoidable by. use

of my improved markings, which permit the films to be wound oil, at high speed with practically no danger of over-winding and l loss'of films, and, tvithneed of minimum The relief fil'ni shown in Fig.1 consists essentially of the sensitive film A and the protective opaque ribbon B, on the front face of which the sensitive filmlA is inoimted in the usual manner. The back of the'protective ribbon B is provided with film-section -l or position marks C and vwith connepting.

marks D intermediate the said film-section osition marks (3. The film section' or position marks C, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, t, 5, 6,7 and 8, are in the form of rings containing consecutive numerals to indicate the film section of the sensitive film, A, as such sections are moved into position for exposure. The connecting or intermediate marks "D are preferably in the form oftwo con-- verging lines extending tangentially from the c rcle of one film-section or positionmark C to thenext film-section or position mark GWith t-he apex of the converging lines tcraninating at the trontot the following film- In' thejmodified form shown in Fig; 3, the filmsection or position mark C is in the form of two spaccd lines, between which is arranged the corresponding numeral, and the lines are adapted to register wlth the marks F on the observation window F held on the camera G. In this casethe film is unwound until the spaced lines register with the marks F.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the connecting marks I) consist of an arrow extending from one filursection or position mark to the other with the head of the arrow at the following position mark.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5,'the connecting mark D is in the form of an elongated diamond, and the connecting mark D shown in Fig. 6, is in the form of a wedge, while the connectin mark D shown in Fig. 7, is in the form 0 vertical lines arranged one alongside the other and diminishing in'size from one filmsection or position mark G to the next following one.

It is not absolutely necessary that the connecting marks I), D, D D and D reach from one film-section or position mark C to the next tollowing one, as such connecting mark may be arranged immediately preceding a film-section or position mark, as inch-- cated in Fig. 8. I

In beginning to unwind a freshly inserted roll, the unwinding may be begun with all possiblespeed and may be so continued until close to the first film-section or position mark C, by which time the tapering of the long indicating angleo't the leading to mark E will indicateto the 0 orator the need of slowing down for the ast portion or two, that is, until the numeral l of the first film-section or position mark appears iii the camerawindow F. When this section 01 the film has been-exposed the film can be wound up very rapidly with practically no danger of overwinding, for the reason that the operator knows at each instant, when approaching the exact position for the f0llowing exposure. If the users camera has been idle for a long time and the user has forgotten whether the camera co ntains a six-film or a ten-film roll, then theuser by the improved indicating means can readily ascertain when the last film section has been reacheCh-i In the case of asix-film roll a blank space follows the last film-section or position mark C, and in case a ten-film roll is in the camera and thcfihn-section or position mark '6 has passed the observation window F, then the user by seein the next connectinrmark D immediately knows that some film sections. are coming. If while unwinding the film the users attention" is drawn away momentarily it does not matter, as by 0 serving the camera window the user can see the exact position owing to the graduated shape given to-the connecting llltll'kS D. i

Although I have shown and describedvarious forms of the film-section or position marks and theconnccting marks, I do not limit myself to the same", as such marks may be varied without deviating from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A roll film having an 0 aque protective ribbon provided at the bac with film section marks spaced apart, and marks between the said film section marks and graduated to indicate the approach of the succeeding film section mark.

ribbon provided at. the back with film section marks spaced apart, and connecting marks intermediate the said film section marks, and formed by lines converging from .ing formed by convergin one film section. mark to: the next following one.

4. A roll film having an opaque protective ribbon provided at'the back with film section marks spaced apart, and connecting marks intermediate the said film section marks, the said film section marks being in the form of circles inclosing consecutive numerals, and the "said connecting marks belines extending tangentially from one circ e and having the apex termlnating at the front of the next following circle.

5. A roll film having an opaque protective ribbon provided at the back with film sec tion marks spaced apart, connecting marks intermediate the said film section marks and graduated to indicate the approach of the succeeding film section mark, and a leading to mark preceding the first film section mark.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HORACE M. ENGLE.

Witnesses:

THEo. G. Hosrnn, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

